LSU captures SEC tournament title

John Zenor The Associated Press

Monday

May 26, 2008 at 3:00 PM

HOOVER, Ala. -- The LSU Tigers once seemed a longshot to even make the Southeastern Conference tournament, and were snubbed when the postseason honors came out.They’re hard to ignore now.Tournament MVP Blake Dean hit a two-run homer and the Tigers scored the final seven runs to beat Mississippi 8-2 on Sunday, win a school-record 20th game in a row and claim their first SEC tournament title since 2000.

HOOVER, Ala. -- The LSU Tigers once seemed a longshot to even make the Southeastern Conference tournament, and were snubbed when the postseason honors came out.

They’re hard to ignore now.

Tournament MVP Blake Dean hit a two-run homer and the Tigers scored the final seven runs to beat Mississippi 8-2 on Sunday, win a school-record 20th game in a row and claim their first SEC tournament title since 2000.

"In the middle of the season, we were fighting just to get into this tournament," said Ryan Schimpf, who had a two-run double. "To come out on top was just a tremendous accomplishment."

LSU (43-16-1), which took the lead with a five-run fifth, matched Vanderbilt (2007) and South Carolina (2000) for the second-longest winning streak in SEC history.

The Tigers aren’t done yet. They were awarded an NCAA regional host site and are expected to receive one of the eight national seeds today. Coach Paul Mainieri said he felt the team deserved one even before winning the title.

That didn’t diminish the significance of Sunday’s game to him, though.

"This was a game we really wanted to win very badly," said Mainieri, whose team started 6-11-1 in the league. "I know sometimes people try to downplay the SEC tournament because they feel they’re going to get a bid and maybe it’s not important. I think it’s very important for these kids to learn how to win championships."

The Tigers have trailed in all but four games during the streak, including all four in the tournament. LSU tied Alabama for the league lead with its seventh SEC tournament title.

The Rebels (37-24) were the first No.

8 seed to make it to the championship game, advancing for the third time in four years despite going into the final weekend battling for a spot. They are 1-2 during that stretch.

The Rebels are expected to receive a regional bid.

"This game really wasn’t a shock to us," said Ole Miss’ Michael Guerrero, who hit his fifth homer of the tournament. "We knew we were going to have to compete. We aren’t down. We’re going to go out and play just like we have been.

"We’ve had to battle to get where we’re at, so nothing’s going to change."

Louis Coleman (6-0) pitched six scoreless innings in relief for LSU, giving up three hits and striking out seven. He retired the final eight batters he faced and struck out the side in the ninth.

Mainieri called Coleman’s strikeout of Zach Miller to leave two men on in the sixth "the biggest pitch of Louis’ career."

"He just took the game under control and wouldn’t let Ole Miss get back into it," the coach said.

The Tigers had two hits off starter Nathan Baker (3-5) in the first four innings and trailed 2-1, then suddenly came alive. They chased him with three straight doubles to open the fifth, including Schimpf’s.

"We opened up the door a couple of times for them, and you can see why they are the hottest team in the country," Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said. "They just continue to answer.

"That’s why the streak’s what it is. They get the big at-bat when they need it. They make the play, they make the pitch."

Derek Helenihi drove in another run with a sacrifice fly and Dean followed with his two-run shot to right off reliever Jake Morgan, his third homer of a tournament that turned into a memorable one for him.

"It’s just a feeling I’ve never felt before, and one that I’ll remember," said Dean, who also finished with nine RBIs.

The Tigers scored again on a wild pitch in the seventh, and Matt Clark led off the eighth with a homer.

Guerrero opened the second with his fifth homer of the tourney for the Rebels, who had single runs in each of the first two innings.

They managed only four hits the rest of the way.

"We battled very well," Baker said. "LSU was just too good for us today."

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